Japanese haskap plant named ‘Hoka’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Japanese haskap plant, ‘Hoka’, that exhibits a low vigor growth habit making it very desirable for home gardens with limited space, its high fruit yields, its very early fruit maturity that allows growers to spread the harvest season with other berry varieties, its fruit that are ornamental, large, and cylindrical with a sweet/tart flavor, its medium fruit attachment that is strong enough to prevent pre-harvest drop and loose enough to pick easily, and its fruit that maintains its appearance, firmness and taste for at least 4 weeks in cold storage at 33° F. to 35° F.

Botanical classification: Lonicera caerulea ssp. emphyllocalyx.

Variety denomination: ‘Hoka’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is co-pending with U.S. Plant Patent Applications filed for plants derived from the same breeding program that are entitled Japanese haskap Plant Named ‘Kapu’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,820) and Japanese haskap Plant Named ‘Taka’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,707).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lonicera caerulea ssp. emphyllocalyx and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Hoka’. ‘Hoka’ is a new cultivar of Japanese blue honeysuckle berry, also known as Japanese haskap, a plant grown for its fruit that is marketed as fresh, frozen fruit and processed food products.

The new Invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program that initiated in Corvallis, Oreg. that commenced with the planting of seeds collected in 2000 from several berry farms in Hokkaido, Japan. The objectives of the breeding program are to develop superior cultivars of this berry plant that exhibits a range of fruit maturity to spread the harvest season that can be grown in moderate to colder climates combined with an upright spreading plant habit and fruit that was large in size, firm, easy to pick, good tasting, and with a high yield rate.

This new Japanese haskap cultivar, ‘Hoka’, arose from seed collected from open pollination of an unnamed Japanese haskap plant designated as “selection #8” that was growing on a farm in Bibai, Japan. ‘Hoka’ was selected in Corvallis, Oreg. as a single unique plant in 2004 from the population of resulting seedlings.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the Inventor by hardwood stem cuttings in 2004 in Corvallis, Oreg. Asexual propagation by hardwood and softwood cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a trial plot in Corvallis, Oreg. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Hoka’ as a unique cultivar of Japanese haskap.

-   -   1. ‘Hoka’ exhibits a low vigor growth habit making it very         desirable for home gardens with limited space.     -   2. ‘Hoka’ exhibits high fruit yields relative to the plant size.     -   3. ‘Hoka’ exhibits very early fruit maturity that allows growers         to spread the harvest season with other berry varieties.     -   4. ‘Hoka’ exhibits fruit that are ornamental, large, and         cylindrical with a sweet/tart flavor.     -   5. ‘Hoka’ exhibits a medium fruit attachment that is strong         enough to prevent pre-harvest drop and loose enough to pick         easily.     -   6. ‘Hoka’ exhibits fruit that maintains its appearance, firmness         and taste for at least 4 weeks in cold storage at 33° F. to 35°         F.

The Inventor has no records on the characteristics of the female parent, selection #8, as data was not recorded at that time. ‘Hoka’ can be most closely compared to Japanese haskap cultivars ‘Kapu’ and ‘Taka’. ‘Kapu’ is similar to ‘Hoka’ in having fruit with a sweet/tart flavor. ‘Kapu’ differs from ‘Hoka’ in having a much more vigorous and more upright growth habit and in having fruit that is oval-ovate shaped, firmer and in that matures two weeks later. ‘Taka’ is similar to ‘Hoka’ in having a spreading plant habit and in having fruit with a sweet/tart flavor. ‘Taka’ differs from ‘Hoka’ in having a much more vigorous growth habit and in having fruit that is oval shaped and matures two weeks later.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs were taken in mid summer and illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of 7 year-old plants of the new Japanese haskap as grown in a trial garden in Corvallis, Oreg.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of the plant habit of ‘Hoka’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the flowers of ‘Hoka’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the leaves of ‘Hoka’.

The photograph in FIG. 4 provides a view of the berries of ‘Hoka’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Japanese haskap.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of 10 year-old plants of the new Japanese haskap as field grown at the Inventor's farm in Corvallis, Oreg. under irrigation. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 1995 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Plant type.—Deciduous shrub, fruit bearing.         -   Plant habit.—Upright and spreading.         -   Plant size.—Reaches an average of 1.3 m in height and 1.2 m             in width.         -   Hardiness.—Adapted well in Zone 8b, expected to be hardy to             U.S.D.A. Zone 4 but they have not been tested to date.         -   Diseases and pests.—No significant disease or pest problems             have been observed to date.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Propagation.—Softwood and hardwood stem cuttings.         -   Root development.—10 days to initiate roots in summer at 26°             C., and 35 days to produce a fully rooted cutting or a young             rooted plant in a liner at 26° C. -   Dormant shoots:     -   -   Density.—Medium.         -   New growth.—138C in color, and glabrous surface.         -   One year-old shoots.—25 cm in length and 3 mm in diameter,             surface is smooth and glabrous, lenticels absent, 177A in             color, adventitious bud development; medium, dormant without             pruning, average of 2 per node, up to 3 mm in length and 2             mm in width, ovate in shape, N79C in color.         -   Three year-old stems.—86 cm in length and 9 mm in diameter,             surface exfoliating, inner bark 177B in color, outer bark             197A in color.         -   Bud break.—Early March in Corvallis, Oreg. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Oblong.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Rounded.         -   Leaf apex.—Obtuse.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color primarily matches leaf color             on both surfaces.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf surface.—Young leaf and mature leaves, upper and lower             surfaces are glabrous.         -   Leaf internode length.—An average of 6.7 cm.         -   Leaf size.—Average of 8.4 cm in length and 4 cm in width.         -   Leaf color.—Young leaves; upper surface 137B and lower             surface 138B, mature leaves; upper and lower surfaces 138B.         -   Petioles.—Up to 4 mm in length and 1 mm in width, 2D in             color, glabrous surface.         -   Stipules.—Absent or 1 mm in length, linear in shape, 138A in             color, glabrous surface. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Blooming period.—An average of 18 days, typically between             March 31^(st) and April 18^(th) with mid bloom around April             10^(th) in Corvallis, Oreg.         -   Inflorescence type.—Small 2-flowered cymule born in leaf             axils of lowest 1 to 3 nodes on current years' growth.         -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 2 cm in length, 1.5 cm             diameter at apex and 4 mm at base.         -   Flower buds.—Mixed buds, flower buds are not visible as they             are enclosed within the leaves.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—3 to 5 days.         -   Flower quantity.—2 to 6 per shoot.         -   Flower type.—Epigynous.         -   Corolla form.—Funnel form, narrow at the base and widening             towards apex, 5-lobed.         -   Flower size.—Length from base of ovary to stigma is 2 cm;             average of base width is 2 mm, average of apex is 9 mm.         -   Peduncles.—3 mm in length, 1.5 mm in diameter, 138B in             color, glabrous surface.         -   Pedicels.—Inconspicuous.         -   Bracts.—Lanceolate in shape, upper surface color is 138A,             lower surface color is 138B, upper and lower surfaces are             glabrous, cuspidate apex, cuneate base, 4 mm in width and             1.5 cm in length.         -   Sepals.—Fused with hypanthium, 3.5 mm in length.         -   Petals.—5, fused into tube with apex of each free, 2 mm in             width at the base, 9 mm in diameter at apex and tube is 4 mm             in length, 3 mm in width, obtuse in shape, color of inside             of tube is 154D, color of outside of tube is 154C, inner and             outer surfaces are glabrous. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil, an average of 2 cm in length, style is             1.6 cm in length and 8D in color, stigma is 1 mm in diameter             and 8C in color, ovary is inferior, oval in shape, 3 mm in             diameter and 138B in color.         -   Androcoecium.—5 stamens, adnate to inner corolla tube,             filaments are 8D in color and about 1.2 cm in length,             anthers are 8A in color, pollen is abundant in quantity and             8A in color with 100% acetocarmine stain.         -   Compatibility.—Self-incompatible. -   Fruit description:     -   -   Fruit development.—62 days from mid-bloom to harvest.         -   Harvest date.—Average of June 10^(th) in Corvallis, Oreg.         -   Fruit type.—True berry, consists of 2 ovaries enclosed in             the hypanthium.         -   Fruit shape.—Cylindrical.         -   Fruit size.—An average of 2.1 cm in length and 1.3 cm in             width.         -   Fruit surface.—Smooth with bloom.         -   Fruit apex.—Obtuse.         -   Fruit skin color.—96A with bloom removed, 188D with bloom.         -   Fruit flesh color.—145A.         -   Fruit firmness.—Medium firm.         -   Fruit brix.—15.6°.         -   Fruit juiciness.—Relatively low.         -   Fruit weight.—An average of 1.8 g (average of 25 berries).         -   Fruit yield.—2.8 kg per 7 year-old bush.         -   Peduncle-berry scar.—Very small, dry, up to 1.4 cm in             length.         -   Fruit attachment strength.—Medium; strong enough to avoid             pre-harvest drop and loose enough to pick without tearing             berry flesh.         -   Pre-harvest drop.—Insignificant.         -   Post-harvest.—Berries maintain their appearance, firmness             and taste for at least 4 weeks in cold storage at 33° F. to             35° F.         -   Market uses.—Fresh, frozen, dried, and particularly suited             for processed products.         -   Seed.—Average of 11 seeds per fruit, lenticular in shape,             dry weight size is 157 mg/100 seeds, 174B in color. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Japanese haskap plant named ‘Hoka’ as herein illustrated and described. 